Bernard Leunig

Work & Labor - Men - Interviews|Angliss Meat Works, Footscray - Interviews|Meat Industry|Work Experience - Biographies

Content as in title/subject.|Master tape|Content note : Contents are taken from master copies of CD's.|Content:|0 - 3 min: Born and raised in the William Angliss Estate. Father employed as a shipping clerk.|3 - 6 min : Using the meatworks as a playground from age of 8 years with his brother. Sheep and cattle sales at Newmarket on a Wednesdaynight. Drovers expertise on horses bringing the cattle in down Ballarat Rd.|6 - 9 min : Meatworks lay out pre motorised transport. Labour day preparation for the parade in the city later to be named Moomba. Polluted lagoon at the base of the meatworks. Fire at the meatworks. Slaughtering at the meatworks. Local and export (top)slaughter board.|9 - 12 min : Export slaughterboard accomodated 100 slaughtermen slaughtering 100 sheep per day each. Weekly pay for a slaughterman was 12 pound 10 per week or 2 guineas per hundred working a 5 1/2 day week. Bottom section catered for beef and a boar slautering section. 30 slaughtermen worked this section slaughtering 12 head a man per day, early finishes. The goround system was using skinning the beef on the ground. A cooperage was also part of the works to hold the tallow. A case making factory also existed selling their boxes to the brewery and other industries. They also had a case making factory for the sausages. The butchers shop was in Bourke St for the manufacturing of smallgoods with the smallgoods factory being built in Footscray adjacent to the Red Square (now George Seelaf Square) .|12 - 15 min : Angliss's Meatworks is known as the Lynch's Bridge or Lynch's Gate Precinct. Bernard takes us on a 'walk' though Angliss. Carpenter's shop also on the premises. Mnaufactured thier own ice.|15 - 18 min : Red Square or Seelaf Square today was the administration block.|18 - 21 min : Walk through Angliss continued.|21 - 24 min : As above. Fat and oil production for exporting. Fellmongering and pullers for skin production and tanning.|24 - 27 min : Soap production utilising the fleece in the scourers. This section was 6 storeys. Wool production through to baling. Boiler room for the steam production for the meatworks. Cold storage and freezing section was 3 storeys with the bottom storey built along the sidings for the rail cartage.|27 - 30 min : As above. At the meatworks peak, they were slaughtering 9000 lambs per day. Grading of export meats prior to freezing. Employing 150 - 200 men in the export chambers.|30 - 33 mins: 1933 saw the implementation of the 'killing chain system' and the employment dissatisfaction with machination of the abbatoirs and the work changes and strike that followed.|33 - 36 mins: The disruption the strike caused, union management of the chaning work conditions and depression that followed. Introduction of the Federal Award added to the ill will of the employment comararderie. Changes in work conditions with the demands of expor meat standards especially by the Americans.|36 - 39 mins : Cost factor of upgrading the facilities due to export standards saw to the demise of the meatworks. The effect of the demise of Angliss to the suburb of Footscray.|39 - 41 mins: Seasonal demographic change in Footscray due to meatworks environs. Bernard talks about the characters employed at Angliss.|41 - 44 mins : Mutual employee support in times of need. Character identification.|44 - 47 mins: Repitition of manual labour. Changes in level of skill with the introdution of the killing chain in comparison with solo slaughterman. Chris healy asks Bernard to reflect on his childhood memories of growing up on the Angliss Estate.|47 - 48 mins : Growing up with the characters that worked at Angliss and lived in the Estate.|Master disc 2 of 2|Continuing on from #130104578 the following is from #130104579|Content:|0 - 3 min:Characters employed at Angliss and residing in the Estate. Childhood mischieviousness on the Estate.|3 - 6 mins : As above.|6 - 9 mins : Impression of viewing motorised transport with rubber tyres. Importance of experience kids gained from being able to accompany the men whilst working on transport.|9 - 12 mins : Assisting the drovers on Tuesdays with the sheep at Newmarket. Famiy socialisation amongst the Estate.|12 - 15 mins : Famly socialisation amongst the Estate and the contribution of Angliss in substantiating this importance.|15 - 18 mins : As above.|18 - 21 mins : Famous faces employed in the meatworks.|21 - 24 mins : Bernard's work experience at Angliss. Leaving school at 14. Continuing education out of the financial reach of families. Slaughterman versus office worker.|24 - 27 mins : Juveile labourer in the export killing room. Effects of an industrial accident severing the tendons on his hand a month into his apprenticeship and the operation that ensued at RMH.|27 - 30 mins : Back to work after six weeks. Effects of the depression in the 1937 - 1940's. Left Angliss to work in a foundry. Foundry workers contracting silicosis so left to work at Smorgans. Retrenched from Smorgons due to union activity. Finishing his working life at Gilbertsons.|30 - 33 mins: Chris Healy asks Bernard what working conditions were like when he started work at Angliss. Bernard states that the facilities were of extremely poor standard. High incident of industrial accidents with no report methods or first aid room available and the acceptance of the workers with the conditions.|33 - 37 mins : Union involvement. Becoming a union delegate in 1962 due to disenchantment with facilities.|37 - 40 mins : Seasonal work in the late 20's to early 30's. Employment of contractors. Daily waiting at the gate for work during the off-season. Jobs for life.|40 - 43 mins : Seasonal work and changes in employment levels. Permanent work in the 50's with American export contract. Apprenticeship known at 'improver' or 'improvership' with Angliss was for 3 years - City abbatoirs was 5 years.|43 - 46 mins : Characters employed at Angliss. 1933 strike at Angliss and the influence of the union movement on Bernard being involved on the picket line.|46 - 49 mins : Employment of Scab labour. Police involvement. Post-strike atmosphere.

Sound recordings 3

1 sound cassette (136 min.) :stereo. ; in container 11 x 7 x 1.8cm.

Chris Healy

Sound recording

130103130

VMLMW

VLMW 86.54.1

1985